Appliance support apparatus

Abstract

A method and apparatus for supporting an appliance having at least one arm which is mounted at one end to a support surface and adapted at the other end for attachment of the appliance. The method and apparatus also includes a unique biasing system for holding the arm in a variety of user selected and activated orientations. The biasing means is composed of a combination of shock absorbers and springs to provide safe, efficient operation.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An apparatus for supporting and positioning an appliance relative to a support surface, comprising: at least one arm having a proximal end and a distal end, said one arm being mounted to a support surface at the proximal end and adapted at its distal end for attachment of said appliance; and   biasing means associated with said one arm for holding said arm in a variety of orientations while supporting said appliance, said biasing means having a spring means and a hydraulic shock absorber cooperating with said spring means, for preventing or damping undesired movement of said apparatus in response to a change in the forces applied to said one arm or appliance.   
     
     
       2. An articulated boom for positioning an appliance relative to a support surface, comprising: a base arm mounted to said surface;   at least one additional arm pivotally connected to said base arm;   means for securing said appliance to said additional arm;   spring means for resiliently counteracting the weight of said appliance, said spring means operably mounted to each said arm; and   a hydraulic shock absorber operably mounted to each said arm and cooperating with said spring means for preventing or damping movement of said boom in response to a change in the forces acting on said boom.   
     
     
       3. An articulated boom for positioning an appliance relative to a support surface, comprising: a base arm mounted to said surface;   at least one additional arm pivotally connected to said base arm;   means for securing said appliance to said additional arm;   a spring means for resiliently counteracting the weight of said appliance operably mounted to each said arm;   a hydraulic shock absorber operably mounted to each said arm and cooperating with said spring means for preventing and damping movement of said boom in response to a change in forces acting on said boom; and   control means for selectively establishing operability ranges of said hydraulic shock absorber, said control means having at least two operating positions adapted to restrict movement of each said arm when said control means is in a first position and to permit movement of each said arm when said control means is in a second position.   
     
     
       4. The apparatus as described in claim 3 further comprising: actuation means for opening and closing of said control means and allowing simultaneous operation of said control means in each of said arms.   
     
     
       5. The apparatus as described in claim 3 wherein said control means includes: actuation means for opening and closing said control means to allow sequential operation of said control means in each of said arms.   
     
     
       6. The apparatus as described in claim 3 wherein said biasing means includes: means for adjusting forces generated by said biasing means to accommodate appliance generated forces of different magnitude.   
     
     
       7. The apparatus as described in claim 3 wherein said biasing means further comprises means for maintaining a constant load curve of an arm throughout its range of operation and forces applied. 
     
     
       8. A method for controllably supporting and restraining an appliance with a support apparatus, comprising the steps of: coupling a support surface to said support apparatus;   coupling a front support arm of said support apparatus to said appliance;   coupling a rear support arm to said front support arm;   adjusting said front and rear support arms to support said appliance using biasing means associated with eachof said support arms to hold said support arms in anyone of a variety of orientations, said biasing means having a shock absorber means cooperating with a spring means; and   controllably and selectively restraining or permitting movement of said support apparatus responsive to a force applied to said support apparatus or appliance using a control means to cooperate with said biasing means.   
     
     
       9. The method as described in claim 8 wherein the control means permits the biasing means to be adjustable between completely restricting reorientation of each said arm when in an open position and freely permitting reorientation of each said arm when in a closed position. 
     
     
       10. The method as described in claim 9 wherein said biasing means is selectively responsive in one or both of said arms. 
     
     
       11. A method for controllably supporting and restraining an appliance with a support apparatus, comprising the steps of: coupling a support surface to said support apparatus;   coupling a front support arm of said support apparatus to said appliance;   coupling a rear support arm to said front support arm; and   adjusting said front and rear support arms to support said appliance using spring means in said arms for controllably orienting each said arm and shock absorber means coupled to each said arm for adjustably restraining the response of each said arm and said appliance to forces applied thereto.   
     
     
       12. The method as described in claim 11 wherein said shock absorber means is responsive selectively in one or both of said arms. 
     
     
       13. An articulated boom for positioning an appliance relative to a support surface, comprising: a base arm mounted to said surface;   at least one additional arm pivotally connected to said base arm;   spring means for resiliently counteracting the weight of said appliance, said spring means operably mounted to each said arm;   a hydraulic shock absorber operably mounted to each said arm and cooperating with said spring means for preventing or damping movement of said boom in response to a change of forces acting on said boom; and   control means for establishing operability ranges of said hydraulic shock absorber, said control means having at least two operating positions, said hydraulic shock absorber adapted to restrict reorientation of each said arm when said control means is in a first or open position, said hydraulic shock absorber adapted to permit reorientation of each said arm when said control means is in a second or closed position.